Indian agriculture is not efficient because 60% of the population is tilling half-acre plots. Look at developed countries - 5% or less of their population is involved in agriculture, and yet they export food to other nations. Simple reason - if you have large farms, mechanization of agriculture becomes cost-effective. India has to be weaned away from sustenance-based agriculture, by getting more people from villages involved in industry. It contributes more to the GDP and provides better quality of life than sustenance-based farming (not talking about farmers in Punjab, BTW. They've managed to use mechanized agriculture well). I'd rather the government train farmers as skilled/semi-skilled labour in factories. The unfortunate problem is that people consider it below their dignity to work for someone else.
Indian agriculture cannot improve unless large-scale mechanization is implemented. The govt spends a lot on farmers, but farmers themselves are not aware of the facilities made available.
Finally, where is the shame in importing food? I export manufactured goods, import food. If my balance of trade is positive, what difference does it make? As an individual, you don't grow your own food - you pay people to grow it for you, and use your skills at your work, to buy everything you need.
We make prestige issues out of silly things like this, but nobody wants to make budgetary deficit a prestige issue.
